


Wrath of the Sun-Eater

by Corinne_Nohrule



Series: The Archipelago’s Mythos [8]
Category: Fire Emblem Series
Genre: Adventure, Established Relationship, Multi, Philippine Mythology/Modern AU, Spoilers for the first few stories in this fanfic AU series, Urban Fantasy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:14:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27361072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Corinne_Nohrule/pseuds/Corinne_Nohrule
Summary: It was but an ordinary day, and everyone is doing their usual stuff in their goings-on. That is until a sudden shroud of darkness covered the land, and all who look up at the sky could see none of it...Ephraim and Lyon were just enjoying their time together in the outskirts of Bulacan, when Ephraim suddenly collapses, weakened. Fearing the worst, Lyon goes to his lover’s sisters for help.Dimitri and Claude were all but busy with their finals for their University studies, but the sudden darkness brings a wedge in their concentration, and Claude suspects something bigger behind the dark.When the conflict proves too big to resolve on their own, the students of Far Eastern team up with the so-long-in-hiatus gods and goddesses to stop the threat only known in legend as the Sun-Eater.
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan, Ephraim/Lyon (Fire Emblem), Ferdinand von Aegir/Hubert von Vestra, minor or background pairings - Relationship
Series: The Archipelago’s Mythos [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1908481
Comments: 19
Kudos: 13





	1. A Foreboding Vision

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, all! Here’s the second story in this series that will have many chapters. If you’re new to this Fanfic AU series, welcome! This story takes place in an AU where Fire Emblem characters live in a version of modern Philippines that has mythical creatures and deities from Philippine mythology living among the people in the country. (Basically Trese, minus the detective stuff.)
> 
> Anyways, here’s the prologue of the story, enjoy!

The sun was bright out, the people busy going on with their daily lives to note the brightness of it. Maya birds flew by, some settling on the hanging wires of posts, dogs and cats alike frolicking on the sidewalks.

Everything remained tranquil, with some people exchanging words with each other, laughter filling the air from the joy present in their hearts. Vehicles drove forward in different lanes, uninterrupted from anything but the traffic signals giving way to other cars driving by.

All in all, the day remained in a peaceful state.

———————

A little girl was skipping along the cracks on the road, careful not to get hit by any cars. Her carefree giggles had let loose in the air, arms outstretched to her sides, airplane like. She zoomed past some passersby carrying some vegetables, her headspace in childlike bliss.

Then she bumped into one of them, after which her feet lost their footing. The little girl went down, face first on the ground with an ‘oof’. Thankfully, she poked her head back up without much issue, and that’s when she noticed something was off with what she was seeing above her.

The sky earlier was bright out, clouds minimal to make way for the sun to be seen in full view. Though, what she was currently seeing was not the sun, or the clouds for that matter.

Above the little girl, there was a lack of both.

It was a giant shadow for a sky now, one that enveloped the entire city. With the lampposts off during the day, and the cars keeping their headlights out, the whole area was engulfed in total darkness.

The little girl looked around, her eyes trying their best to help her see in these shadowed surroundings. When she realized that she could see nothing, she began to cry, and started running around frantically. Her feet became her eyes now, every step trying to scope where she would go.

“Mama! Papa!” The little girl cried out. “Mama! PAPA!”

But her cries remain unheard, being drowned out by screams from all the others. Voices of men and women all cried out in hysterics, every single one trying to comprehend the sudden darkness. The little girl had the same question as everyone else panicking in the city:

Where had the light gone?

The girl continued to run like it was her lifeline; she was certain that she would find the bright light of the sky soon, she just knew it—-

Then her foot tripped on something, then the next thing she knew, the little girl was falling down into an endless abyss of total blackness. She screamed her loudest, cried for her parents that would never find her, cried for her uncertain fate.

In a last ditch effort, she reached out—-for someone, anyone, who could save her from her fall.

But alas, the little girl’s voice grew quieter and quieter, and her figure being all but a silhouette as it fell all the way down, way below from any help.

She would never be found again—

——————

“Ah!”

A young man shot up from his bed, breathing heavily, trying to comprehend what he just saw. One hand clutched at his chest, as if it would help relieve the tension from his lungs. Another hand treaded his fingers against mint green hair, smoothing out its split ends from the tossing and turning in his sleep.

He blinked slowly, his surroundings coming back to him. A nightlight was at his bedside, his lamp at the bedside table was still on, and most of all, the moon and stars were still outside, shining bright and their rays illuminating his window.

“There’s still light...it’s not real...”

But he remembered that his dreams weren’t ordinary ones. This was meant to be something—-the dream he had earlier held great alarm, a foreboding sign.

It was a warning.

The young man quickly put on his glasses, and then pulled out his phone. He scrolled down to a certain number, and then tapped on it for a quick dial. After a few rings, a voice came on the other side.

_“Hello...?”_ the voice was drowsy on the other line.

“Claude? It’s me, Ignatz.”

The voice became less tired. _“Ignatz? What’s going on?”_ A pause, like Claude was realizing something silently. _“Did you have a vision?”_

“...I did.”

_“Is it the usual vision of a disaster coming in?”_

“It is, but...” Ignatz paused, the details of his dream resonating in his head. “This is something different.”

Claude became curious. _“What do you mean?”_

Ignatz swallowed a lump in his throat. “All of the land...it will become dark.”

_“What do you mean by that? Like, figurative darkness—an evil god is coming back?”_

“That’s not it,” Ignatz shook his head. “It’s the kind that is literal—one that, I have a feeling, this country hasn’t experienced in a long time.”

_“What might be the source?”_

“I don’t know, but what I do know...” Ignatz looked out the window. It was hard for him to imagine that sooner or later, the light that he’s currently seeing outside would not be there.

“...is that the people have no idea it’s coming to them.”


	2. A Date Gone Wrong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What was supposed to be a simple date between Ephraim and Lyon turns into a nightmare neither wished to have.
> 
> And Lyon is left to deal with the panic rising in him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here’s the second part! This is where the first couple of the story is introduced. Dear boyos Ephraim and Lyon.
> 
> I’m sorry for what’s about to happen to the former later. :’D
> 
> Anyways, enjoy this new addition!

“So, what do you think?”

“...It’s a nice proposition, but I have to reflect further on it.”

Two people exchanged, in one little eatery in the town of Marilao. They were seated underneath a tarpaulin shade, protecting them from too much heat. The elderly couple was busy serving tables far inside the eatery, other villagers were doing their own business, not minding the two people seated far near the tarpaulin shade. Merienda was placed atop their table, an assortment of chips, which were only a handful now.

One of the two, a cerulean-haired young man with eyes matching his hair, dug into the pile of chips and took a bite, continuing to speak. “I won’t force you to, Lyon, but I’d love it if you say yes.”

The other young man, a lavenderette named Lyon, pursed his lips inward, unsure. “You know how much I long to be with you always, Ephraim—in fact, I do want to move in with you. However...”

“This is about your father, isn’t it?”

Lyon looked to the side, nodding once.

“Look—I can tell that he’s pretty much a big deal in your life.” Ephraim began, words said too carefully, hushed. “And he’s expecting...well, how do I say this...it, coming from you.”

“But he’s not just a big deal,” Lyon pointed out. “He’s the Governor of Bulacan, and everyone in the local government unit, including my father, thinks that I’m fit to succeed him.” His face showed signs of despondent feelings. “Even if I’ve told them several times otherwise.”

“Now don’t you put yourself down, Lyon.” Ephraim intervened, taking a grip on Lyon’s hand, firm but gentle. “I know that you’re intelligent and wise—hell, even moreso than I. You’re probably a better fit for leadership than most of the politicians in this country.”

Lyon gave a tiny smile, but his eyes remained uncertain. “I appreciate your words, Ephraim, but...that’s the thing. I don’t want to become a leader just because of being associated with the del Grado name. There’s too many people who do that.” His hand that was in Ephraim’s grip rubbed at the knuckles lightly. “If I want to leave a legacy, I want to do it my own way. But Father—Father wants me to start preparing myself with my campaign, take a shot in winning the town elections in the coming years. I can’t refuse my Father, as he’s been nothing but my guiding figure, except...”

“Except?”

“I have my life with you, Ephraim—we live far apart from each other, and my heart says I should go with you.” Lyon said, looking back to his boyfriend’s face. “But my mind says I should oblige to family duty. Yet my soul thinks I’m not good enough for either.”

“Oh, Lyon...” Ephraim leaned close, having his forehead touch against Lyon’s. “You’re good enough for me, and I’m sure you’ll be able to figure it out. And when you do...” He arched his head up to place a lingering kiss on the forehead, pushing aside lavender locks. “I’ll be there to help you take that step forward. I love you so, Lyon, I won’t leave you alone.”

Lyon chuckled at how downright supportive his boyfriend was. Leave it to Ephraim to ease his inner troubles, even for a moment. He then raised the hands that were still clasped together. “Are you sure you’re not the God of Love? I felt touched when you said that.”

“I’m not, sadly, that honor goes to Elice.” Ephraim responded, laughing. “Though I am the God of the Sun—-is that enough for you?”

“Considering that you make my days brighter when you’re at my side...yes.”

“Cheesy.” Ephraim pecked Lyon on the forehead again. “I still love you though.”

Lyon chuckled again; he never thought that he would find someone he’d truly love, someone who would stay by him regardless of his doubts. When Ephraim arrived, he upended Lyon’s world in more ways than one—giving him an ear to listen, a shoulder to lean on. Everyday, the young man felt blessed; Lyon had earned the affections of someone who stood by him.

The fact that Ephraim is a Sun God was just a bonus.

Speaking of whom, Ephraim turned to his side from where he sat, aiming to get a soda from the fridge nearby. “I’ll just go and some drinks for us; won’t take too long.” His hand let go of Lyon’s, and stood up to get to the fridge.

But before he could even make a step forward, he suddenly gripped the table in a tight hold.

“Ephraim?”

“I’m alright!” responded Ephraim, a bit too quickly. His eyes were scanning everywhere, losing focus. “Just a misstep...I’m fine.”

Though he was far from it, even stumbling on nothing once he took a step forward. Lyon stood up from his seat in alarm. “Ephraim, if you want, I can hold you up—“

Ephraim shook his head, shaky. “N-No need, I’m not gonna have a hard time...at all...”

His grip had finally slipped from the table, his body fainting. Ephraim nearly hit the floor, until Lyon rushed to hold him in time. Ephraim’s breaths were shaky, even moreso than before, and Lyon turned his body to let the other face him.

To his horror, Lyon saw that Ephraim was quite pale, his eyes even losing some of its luster. The latter’s mouth was open, his breathing sparse from just how weakened he was. Lyon’s mind went frantic from the sudden shift in their situation: one moment they were but having a calm conversation in an eatery, but the next, Ephraim is suddenly fighting to keep himself awake in his weak state.

“Ephraim! Please, don’t close your eyes...!” Lyon begged. “What’s happening to you? Do you know?”

Ephraim lifted a hand, rubbing it faintly against his forehead. “I...I don’t know...It’s so sudden, I can’t tell what’s making me so faint...” Light blue orbs began to flutter shut, which made Lyon shake his boyfriend lightly in the hopes of keeping him awake.

“Ephraim...Ephraim!” He looked on to the far end of the eatery, the owners having witnessed the whole thing in shock. His eyes turned desperate; this day was suddenly turning into a real nightmare.

“Please, get help!”

———————————-

The doctor scanned his list again, his eyebrows scrunched in confusion.

With the help of the eatery owners and the other customers, Ephraim managed to get some proper medical attention. Tests were done on Ephraim, his vital signs were examined, and throughout the process, Lyon had to wait for possibly the most agonizing 30 minutes of his life.

Yet, the results that Lyon heard were far from the answers he needed.

“He’s pale, and his breath his shaky—but we have checked his heart and lungs: they’re both in good working condition.” reported the doctor, being just as clueless as Lyon as he read the results. “Blood levels are still fine, and none of his organs are in critical condition.”

“But why is he in this state? Just this morning, he was fine,” Lyon lamented; his voice remained calm, but his lip wobbled as he uttered those words. He was hating that he had to bring Ephraim to the hospital to begin with—it just meant that his life was at risk and no one could pinpoint why.

“I’m sorry, Mr. del Grado, but this case has got us scratching our heads.”

“Just please...keep Ephraim here in the meantime,” Lyon pleaded, not taking his eyes off of his boyfriend’s pitiful state. “I’m not going to leave either...not when he’s still like this.”

How could Ephraim, a guy practically in great health and not hindered by life-threatening situations for someone of his caliber, suddenly be weakened in the blink of an eye. It was if something far from the ordinary was causing this whole—-

Wait.

Lyon remembered that his boyfriend was indeed far from ordinary. Hence, the answer was such.

And he just knew whom to call.

Quickly, Lyon spotted Ephraim’s cellphone (thankfully Ephraim was kind enough to let him know the password at the time), and searched for the number he had to call. In the contact list, he found the person’s number he was looking for, and tapped on it, the phone dialing to reach them.

A click.

A feminine voice spoke on the other line. _“Hello?”_

Lyon took a breath. “Eirika...I need your help.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Additional Notes:
> 
> Marilao: A municipality located in the province of Bulacan. With a population with over 100, 000 people, it’s one of those towns that’s becoming highly urbanized. This town is well-known for being the home of the National Shrine of the Divine Mercy. Also the hometown of my mom, and I’ve personally visited this place with her countless times. 
> 
> Bulacan: A province located north of Metro Manila, the name derived from the word “bulak”, meaning “cotton”. It’s known for being one of the first Eight Provinces that revolted against Spain (depicted in the Philippine flag’s eight rays of the sun). Top industries include jewelry (Meycauayan City), gown-making (Town of Pandi) and fireworks (Town of Bocaue). This place is also home to some of the Philippines’s most notable heroes and figures like Francisco Balagtas (basically Filipino Shakespeare) and Gregorio del Pilar (boy general who died defending Tirad Pass in the Philippine-American War). Bulacan is also notable to being the birthplace of the First Philippine Republic.
> 
> Author’s Notes: 
> 
> So that’s the end of Chapter Two! 
> 
> For additional information, Lyon in this AU is originally from Malolos, but he moved to Valenzuela City in Metro Manila to get away from the pressures of being part of a political clan. The Del Grado clan is a well established family, with their founder, appropriately named Grado, being the first to kickstart the trend of the descendants taking positions in local government.
> 
> As established in the first few stories in the AU series, Ephraim and his siblings (in this case, Eirika, Micaiah and Byleth), all live in Metro Manila, but they have another house in Meycauayan.
> 
> Feel free to give feedback! :)


	3. Seeking Help

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In what was supposed to be an afternoon of watching a teleserye, sisters Eirika, Micaiah and Byleth get some bad news in regards to their brother.
> 
> Then the shadow first appears, looming over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s the next part, and the sisters are here! :3 And I made them watch a teleserye because I wanted them to. (Sorry, my mind’s sabog right now. :’D)
> 
> Anyways, enjoy this new addition!

Watching a teleserye together with her younger sisters was probably the best choice for an activity Eirika had thought of. Or the worst.

Their eyes were glued to the television screen at the present, holding on to each other’s hands as they witnessed the beginning of a confrontation between the two main female leads. Yep, it was a prime time teleserye with the same old secret affair plot—but the sisters didn’t mind, for it was so over the top they didn’t care if the plot had its usual cliche.

_“You have some nerve—stealing someone who wasn’t even yours to begin with!”_

_“Hah! Big words for someone who pushed her husband away when she had problems.”_

_“What do you mean?”_

_“At least I let him in—and he let me in too. We listen to each other—we love each other! Unlike you, you ungrateful bitch—“_

“ _You take that BACK!”_

_“Try me, you piece of—“_

And so the slap fight commenced, and the reactions between the sisters varied: Eirika inched closer to the screen from the couch, Micaiah covered her mouth for she had no words for the scene, and Byleth simply took another bite of the chips from the snack bowl. Yelling and screaming followed in the scene, and now the sisters began to voice their sides.

“Go, Hilda! Fight for your marriage, even if you have to slap somebody!” Eirika called to the screen.

Micaiah followed with, “No, don’t lose, Susana! Nemesio deserves better!”

Meanwhile, Byleth lightly rolled her eyes from her sisters’ antics. “Whoever wins this, I’ll root for them.”

Eventually they noticed that over 5 minutes have passed since the slapfight onscreen began, and that it was still ongoing, much to their surprise. Guess the adverts for this show weren’t kidding when they presented this show as ‘the most over the top teleserye of the year’. Regardless, the three enjoyed watching the episode together, and even more so, since today was the first time they did anything together in a long while.

Eirika hummed at the thought. “I missed this greatly—us, doing something together.”

“I agree, sister,” Micaiah agreed, leaning back against the couch, her focus on the screen now shifted to her sibling. “After living in different parts of Metro Manila, it’s pretty satisfying to hang out in this same space.” She pivoted her head to gaze at the youngest. “What about you, Byleth?”

“...It’s nice.” Byleth commented, not letting her eyes off the screen. “Being able to watch ‘Will You Stay’, is a stress reliever for me after a week of non-stop test checking.”

Micaiah clapped her hands for a bit. “Oh, right! I forgot for a bit that you’re a professor in Ateneo—how were the students there?”

Byleth broke into a tiny grin. “They’re all doing just fine. Even the troublesome students didn’t cheat—they were at their best behavior.” The simple thought of her dear students managed to bring a reaction out of her; they were like children that she grew to love.

“Anyways,” Eirika rearranged her seating position on the couch, reclining against the armrest. “The episode’s about to end, we can’t miss this!”

“Right, right! I wonder what became of Hilda and Susana?” Micaiah turned back to the screen.

The episode ended with a cliffhanger, with Hilda’s husband and Susana’s lover, Nemesio, came into view. It was a great end to the series’s turning point.

“And now...these two girls are going to try and one-up each other openly.” Byleth remarks.

“Like with every teleserye ever.” Eirika and Micaiah said at the same time, which made them laugh.

Eirika wiped her one eye from laughing so hard. “Ahh...but in all seriousness, why can’t the two girls get together instead? They were close friends before this—almost akin to a couple.”

Words tried to get out Micaiah’s mouth, only to pause at that admittedly true remark. “Good point. Hilda and Susana practically did everything a couple would do together.”

“Speaking of together...” Byleth gazed at her phone from the coffee table, the screen blank from being off. “Ephraim hasn’t responded to us yet if he’s on the way.”

Micaiah gasped. “You’re right! He did promise us that he’ll come here to Meycauayan after he’s done with his date.” She grinned, remembering the circumstances that got them together. It was far from ideal (Ephraim’s grief over Lyon’s supposed death almost caused a calamity; it’s a long story to be told.), however the sisters all rejoiced upon learning that the two men officially became an item. Ever since that, Ephraim took every chance he got to be with Lyon when time allowed them to. The frequency of it had his younger sisters tease him to no end.

“I wonder what’s keeping him? The episode for ‘Will You Stay’ has finished already.” Eirika wondered. “And the next episode is coming tomorrow—there won’t be any reruns for past ones.”

Before more questions were further shot out, a ringtone chimed out, breaking the ambience in the living room. Eirika got up from the couch, heading towards the source of the ringtone. “That’s my phone...It’s probably Ephraim.”

“Or someone else—Eph might be stuck in traffic for all we know.” Byleth added.

Eirika checked the contact name; indeed it was her twin’s phone number. She touched on the green button, responding. “Hello?”

The one who answered back was a different voice. _“Eirika? I need your help.”_

Her eyes blinked once in surprise. “Lyon? What’s going on? Why are you using my brother’s phone to call us?”

“ _Uhm_...” Lyon began, stumbling on his words. From the way he tried to speak, it sounded like he was stressed. _“Ephraim wasn’t well enough to be able to call you. So I did it instead.”_

Eirika’s eyes went wide the moment she heard those words. “What do you mean Ephraim isn’t doing so well? What’s happened to him?”

In the main living room area, Micaiah and Byleth were listening in, and from Eirika’s responses, they grew concerned too.

_“He...he’s collapsed, Eirika,”_ Lyon finally spoke out. _“Ephraim’s pale, barely breathing, and he’s struggling to stay awake as I speak. I-I don’t know what to do—“_ his voice gradually became shakier and more frantic. _“The doctors have no idea why it’s happening; they say his vital signs are okay, and yet...”_

From the hospital, Lyon took a moment to inhale. The last thing he wanted was to delay finding a solution by breaking down. At this point, Ephraim’s sisters were his only chance in getting an answer. He raised the phone back to his ear. “S-So...this is something that can’t be cured by medicine—which is why I called you; I was thinking that your divine natures and all would be able to shed light to this.”

Back in Meycauayan, Eirika was already in deep thought. For Ephraim to be weakened, there must have been something far bigger at play. Their status as divine deities rendered them immune to mortal diseases, hence there could be another source of Ephraim’s plight.

Right after thinking about it, Eirika focused back to the call. “Oh, Lyon...” Eirika muttered, eyes downcast. “Just stay there—we’ll rush over immediately. But tell me, where are you right now?”

_“Marilao...at Saint Michael.”_

After an exchange of goodbyes, Eirika looked back to her younger sisters, and disclosed what was the situation at hand. Both gasped in shock, and immediately rose up from their seats.

“We mustn’t waste any time now; our brother needs us.” Byleth had already brisk walked to the door, opening it to get to their car. “I’ll drive.”

——————————-

Lyon paced back and forth in the hall, too tense to sit down and relax. Sometime had passed since he called Eirika, but as the minutes kept ticking by at the clock, Lyon felt that time was running out. He slumped against the waiting chairs, arching his head up looking at nothing. Hands were almost shaking, throat dry from a loss of words, mind went blank from it all. Was this how it felt like to be truly helpless?

A few seconds later, three pairs of footsteps clicked down the hall, and Lyon gazed at his left to see three women heading down his way. From the long teal hair of one of the women, Lyon was left with no doubt that these were Ephraim’s siblings. As he watched them get closer, he noted that only one of them, Eirika, actually strongly resembled him, with the other two’s appearances being vastly different. Though, he recalled Ephraim telling him before that the younger sisters were still his siblings by blood, even if ‘their looks would say differently’.

Eirika was the first to reach Lyon, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Lyon! How is he now?”

“Still out cold, last I checked.” Lyon replied, frowning once again. “The doctor told me that Ephraim may wake up for a moment then get knocked out again.”

“Oh, dear brother...” Micaiah whispered, being the first to enter the hospital room.

Like earlier, Ephraim’s face remained blanched, his cerulean strands unkempt from lack of attendance. With every breath, his mouth and chest staggered, barely keeping himself conscious.

“Brother...” Byleth stood by the foot of the bed, holding onto the handle. Her usual composure slipped upon seeing Ephraim’s state. “What happened?”

On the bed, Ephraim’s eyes blinked ever so slowly, his hands trying to reach out in the few moments of consciousness he had. “Sis...ter...?”

Lyon quickly rushed to his lover’s side, taking ahold of the outstretched hand in both of his own. “Ephraim...! You’ve been in and out of consciousness again and again...my dear heart...”

Micaiah went to his other side, pressing her palm against her brother’s forehead. She then retracted her hand, grimacing from how low his temperature was. “Oh dear...your body has gone cold...”

“Ephraim, how are you feeling?” Eirika inquired, sitting on the side of Ephraim’s cot. “Do you feel...any change in your body, that’s why it’s gotten you weakened?”

Immediately, Micaiah set to work, imbuing her hands with bright light. This being done in hopes of giving some more energy to her brother. Ephraim breathed in and out with a smile, which told that her healing method was working, albeit barely.

“I feel...” Ephraim began. “I feel like...something’s been taken from me...something that I can’t live without.”

“Do tell us, Kuya,” Byleth pleaded. “What is it?”

“It’s...it’s my powers...I feel them...” then his head lulled to the side, eyes about to close.

“Feel them what?” Lyon repeated, grasping Ephraim’s face by the cheeks in a gentle, yet firm hold. “Tell us, please. What is it that’s making you at this state?”

Ephraim groaned as he fought to get the last set of words out. His lifted his head, clutching it in agony. “I feel my powers waning, and so my life will wane too...” Finally, his head fell back on the pillow, becoming out cold once again. Lyon, aside from being alarmed by his words, also got confused.

“What did he mean by his powers waning? Is there something going on with the sun?”

“...Could be, but we don’t know what exactly that something is.” Eirika replied.

Just as she said it, the window in the hospital room, which up until this point had the rays shining through it, suddenly had none. Gradually, the light disappeared, being wiped out with a shadow creeping up behind like a wave swaying over, covering what was otherwise a pleasant afternoon sky. The room soon got engulfed in darkness, and if it weren’t for Micaiah’s light-imbued hands and Byleth holding up a little ball of flame, it would have been impossible to look through in the dark.

“...I think we found the answer.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Additional Notes:
> 
> Teleserye: You probably know it better by its other name, Telenovela. It’s basically a soap opera, but more exaggerated, there’s plenty of affairs, betrayal and long lost blood relations. In the Philippines, there’s like less saucy scenes in teleseryes because of how values are here. Regardless, a Philippine teleserye is a huge fan of dramatic irony.
> 
> Author’s Notes:
> 
> So yep, that’s the first appearance of the shadow in the story proper! Next chapter will introduce us to another pairing for this story. (From the tags and the summary, you know who this pairing is XD)
> 
> Feel free to give feedback! :)


	4. The Rainbow Bird and His Lover in Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was a study date for Dimitri and Claude, and they’ve spent it in the former’s house (at first doing more of the dating, then to the studying). But then the shadow from earlier now looms over Dimitri’s neighborhood.
> 
> Claude recalls Ignatz’s words as he and Dimitri witness this from the window.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter’s here! Just a warning—-makeout session is abound, but there’s no boinking. Honestly, Dimitri and Claude are a fun pair to write about. :3
> 
> Anyways, enjoy this new addition!

In a city located south of Bulacan, right in Metro Manila, there stood a house in McKinley Hill. It was in an area, one which held some of the most high end residents in the Metro. The painted walls of this house, colored in an off white shade added further to its cleanliness, and the windows sturdy with glass material. Behind one of them was a room, where two people were doing their own thing.

In this case, making out.

The room’s bed was scattered full of papers and notes, and one of them collapsed atop the mess. He almost got up only for the other to hold him by his face, kissing his lips. Every touch, every kiss was too addicting, so much so that they forgot originally what they were doing.

One of them, a blonde youth with noticeable fringes as bangs, pulled away. His breaths were heavy, face scarlet from a lack of air. “I missed doing this...living in different cities just made me long for you even more.”

The other, a brunette with a small braid at the side of his head, smirked up at his lover. His face was just as red, his breaths just as heavy from the kisses. “I can say the same—and you’re one who doesn’t hold back in the affections department either.” He gave a peck to the corner of his blonde lover’s lip. “Dimitri...are you going to—mmph!”

Dimitri didn’t hesitate to dive back in, letting his lips touch those of his significant other. He pulled away just as quickly to exchange more words. “I don’t need to answer that for you, Claude. I can’t afford to hold back when you’re near.”

Claude chuckled at that sentiment.

The two went back to their little session, crumpling a few papers on the bed in the process. Dimitri braced his arms next to Claude’s head on both sides, diving back down to kiss Claude again. Claude reciprocated, lifting his hands to hold Dimitri’s face.

However, the moment Dimitri went to kiss lower than his lips, Claude suddenly sat back up abruptly.

“Claude?” Dimitri asked, confused at the sudden stop.

“Sorry about that,” Claude began, his eyes not completely meeting Dimitri’s. Instead, his eyes were scanning everywhere, until they gazed at the notebooks and papers around them on the bed. “It’s just... isn’t this supposed to be a study date?”

Dimitri’s mouth went lightly agape when he realized it. “Oh...right, I forgot about that. I supposed I leaned more towards the date part rather than the studying.”

“You did.” Claude laughed, it devolving into a sigh at the end. “But seriously, we must take a read at our notes; our Finals Exam won’t be merciful to us.”

“Alright, alright...” Dimitri sat himself upright on his sky blue bed. A hand reached for one of the discarded notebooks, which had notes for the Special Filipino subject. He scowled a bit—his grasp on the local tongue wasn’t fully fledged, even if he did make the effort to utilize it every so often. Like at this moment, when he spoke to his boyfriend about a certain item in their reviewer.

“Hey, Claude...” Dimitri began, pointing at a part on the paper he held. “This sentence is mahirap for me to read. Paki-tulong?”

Claude did all he could to suppress a chuckle. Honestly, his boyfriend’s efforts to use Tagalog in a conversation made him sound like one of those conyos who lived in the elite areas of Muntinlupa and Makati. He chose not to say that out loud since one, Dimitri really put his all into understanding the vernacular, and two, he was super cute everytime he did so. It would have been unfair to undermine his sweetheart’s efforts.

“That sentence, ‘Ito ay handog ko para sa’yo.’, means ‘This is my gift to you.’” Claude read out loud.

“Ohh...thanks,” Dimitri smiled, his head turned back to focusing on the notebook’s page. These moments he had with his boyfriend were among the happiest in his life so far, yet Dimitri felt like something’s missing in their relationship. Almost like...a further push to the next level, is how he would describe it. It had been several months since they started dating exclusively, after all, and Dimitri thought that maybe it would be nice to slowly introduce it. Out of respect for his partner, the blonde only did it through little acts, and yet...

Well, those thoughts were beginning to distract him from his studying. That, and the sky becoming so dark from out the window—-

Wait.

Dimitri did a double take when he noticed that the sun’s rays weren’t hitting the window glass. His hand put down the notebook, and he stood up from his mattress to look out the window pane. Indeed, the sky’s blue hue had suddenly disappeared, instead replaced by a shadow that appeared to loom over all of his house, and the entire neighborhood he lived in. He expected the late afternoon to come in to darken the day, but he didn’t expect it to be this dark. 

And to practically render all it pitch black, no less. The lampposts not being on during the day didn’t help matters either.

His eyes blinked at the sight. “Claude?”

The brunette in question looked up, still laying at his stomach. “Yeah? What is it?”

“Is it supposed to be this dark today?”

By his words, Claude’s eyes perked up, only to see exactly what Dimitri had seen. The fact that the shadow was that big made him concerned.

“No, it’s not supposed to be.” Hazel-green eyes pointed their gaze at the clock; it was only 2 in the afternoon. As his stare focused back on the looming shadow outside, a memory immediately popped in his head:

_“All of the land...it will become dark.”_

_“What do you mean by that? Like, figurative darkness—-an evil god is coming back?”_

_“That’s not it. It’s the kind that is literal—-one that, I have a feeling, this country hasn’t experienced in a long time.”_

Ignatz’s words...his vision. Even if that conversation was only a few days ago, what was happening right now matched what his engkanto friend had described. Claude’s face became despondent at this development; Ignatz was unfortunately spot on with the description of it.

“Dimitri...this,” Claude began, moving to stand next to the blonde fully by the window. “This is what Ignatz had told me from one of his visions.”

“Does he know what’s causing it?” Dimitri asked, inching a hand for Claude to hold, to which the latter accepted out of wanting to be secure.

Claude shook his head to the question. “No, but something tells me that this darkness coming from somewhere...is familiar somehow. My memory of it is faint though, but—I’ll try to remember.”

Dimitri’s cluelessness over all of this built up little by little; all of the sky was bright a few hours ago until this moment.

What happened that caused it to change?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Conyo: refers to the upper class people in the Philippines and their way of speaking Taglish (English and Tagalog). Just to give an example: ‘Paki-ligpit po ang mga plato’ becomes ‘Please make ligpit of the plates’. In Spanish though, conyo means something else, specifically a vulgar term for the women’s...y’know. (At least the meaning of the word here is a bit tamer.)
> 
> Author’s Notes:
> 
> So, that’s the end of this part! Next comes pretty much everyone else’s reactions to the looming dark shadow above at the sky.
> 
> Feel free to give feedback! :3


	5. The Encroaching Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the shadow slowly covering more of the Metro, Dimitri and Claude’s schoolmates experience it in varying ways.
> 
> Then, Claude decides that its time to visit some people from his past. People who might have an idea on what’s truly going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here’s the next chapter! So, like I mentioned in the previous chapter, this is basically everyone else’s reactions to the shadow blocking the sky. (It’s still the afternoon, but the shadow makes it look like a time darker than nighttime.)
> 
> Anyways, enjoy this new addition!

_“Guys, are you looking at this?!”_

A red headed youth yelled from the screen of Dimitri’s phone. A friend of Dimitri’s, Sylvain, had called him up from FaceTime shortly after he and Claude had first saw the giant shadow over McKinley. To say that Sylvain was shocked about what was happening was an understatement. Apparently, the shadow was huge enough to cover Makati as well.

_“Dimitri! The weatherman said nothing about some huge cloud that would cover Makati City!”_ Sylvain rambled, the volume of his voice making the couple wince.

“We know...” Dimitri replied, turning his phone around to let Sylvain see the huge blot of darkness. “But I don’t think it’s a cloud.”

“I could say the same.” Claude agreed. “The shadow’s too opaque to be from a cloud.”

_“Then what is it?! What’s making this...thing appear out of nowhere?”_ Sylvain’s voice, usually laidback, was delving into more panic.

Before Dimitri could respond, a knock was heard from his bedroom door. “It’s open!” He called.

The door burst wide open to reveal a shorter young lady, her light brown hair slightly unkempt from her usual fix. “Dima!”

“Edelgard! What’s the rush?” Dimitri asked, surprised by her sudden method of entry.

Edelgard moved forward, with Dimitri and Claude moving out of the way, to gaze out at the bedroom window. Sure enough, she shook her head, and looked back to her younger brother.

“I noticed the sky suddenly darkening from where I was seating in the living room. I needed to check up on you, because I was afraid something happened to you.”

Dimitri sighed, smiling lightly. His sister was ever the worrywart, as per usual. “You don’t have to worry about that then.”

“I know.” Edelgard grinned in relief, but it turned into a frown not long after. “But now...what’s happening outside has gotten me confused.”

Claude interrupted the exchange between siblings. “Speaking of worry, looks like Sylvain has dropped the call.” He inclined his head to check Dimitri’s phone, and lo and behold, it was now blank. “What do you think he’s going to do?”

“Knowing him, I bet he’d either try to call everyone else about this, or he might make some doomsday prep.” Dimitri affirmed.

—————————-

And sure enough, more and more of their schoolmates from University began to take notice of this strange occurrence.

Felix began to take notice of the encroaching shadow as soon as he settled down to watch some television. Though he didn’t notice it from his own window—Felix saw it happening live on what he was watching.

The hosts who were just doing their own thing in the outdoor segments immediately looked up, getting confused on what they were seeing above them. Soon the whole scene became darkened, and next thing Felix knew, he was unable to make out anything on the screen. It was just pitch black, with only the voices heard showing that it wasn’t a signal error.

“The hell...?” Then his head inclined to the side, where the window was, and when he looked out its panels, he was unable to make out any of the city landscape. It was engulfed, covered in shadow.

“The hell?!”

—————————-

“I know that Felix, but you need to lower down your yelling!”

Ingrid called out, listening to her friend and schoolmate’s shouts from her phone. She managed to see the commotion upon going outside her front door. It was so dark outside that Ingrid was unable to make out the appearance of her neighborhood. Then she heard a car horn, and then something colliding with another. From the siren call that reverberated afterwards, it was a car.

Ingrid’s mouth went agape, and her eyes went wide, despite being unable to see anything in the dark. “Oh dear...”

_“What is it, Ingrid?”_

“A car accident just happened in my neighborhood.” Ingrid replied flatly. If she wasn’t convinced that this looming shadow wasn’t a safety hazard, it was now.

————————-

A young girl, silver hair reaching below her shoulders, was hunched at her desk, doing some reading. Since it was an afternoon, she had no need to turn on her lamp. Instead, she utilized the open window and the bright sky outside as her reading light.

A few pages into her book, a strong gust of wind suddenly blew into her room. The strength of the gust of wind flipped the pages rapidly, surprising the girl. Curious as to what was happening, she rose up from her seat to look out her window.

What she saw nearly made her trip on her feet.

The blue sky began to vanish, from something big, that she can tell. But what she couldn’t pinpoint was what was that big thing making the sky disappear. The darkness brought with it a huge gust of wind, and as it covered more and more of her street, the gales suddenly burst forward, shutting the window abruptly. The girl jumped back in surprise, and her face scowled from this sight, confused.

“What is...this...”

Her feet rushed to get out of the room, and she soon reached downstairs to reach for the phone on the table at the side of the stairs. Tapping down on a few buttons, the phone trilled until a click was heard.

“Hello? Mother, it’s Lysithea...I’m fine, it’s just...” She noticed that the outside has become fully dark now. “Something’s going on in Manila. I just wanted to tell you that.” Her hand formed a small violet flame, lighting up the room a bit.

————————-

“Did you hear that, Hubert?”

Ferdinand asked, his eyes looking everywhere as they walked down the street to their dormitory. He and his boyfriend, Hubert, were unfortunate to have encountered the darkness that was encroaching while they were outside. It meant that their vision became limited in the dark, and Ferdinand, out of uncertainty from scoping their new surroundings, clung close to Hubert.

“It sounded like something...flying.” Ferdinand recalled, then a tell-tale sound of wings flapping caught his ears. From how loud it was, he concluded, “The wings are big, from what I can tell.”

Hubert’s eyes turned serious. “Stay close to me, Ferdinand—just hold on to me.” Hubert’s voice turned into a whisper. His arm then reached to wrap around the auburn-haired youth’s waist.

Ferdinand stayed alert, trying to catch any sound out of the ordinary. More sounds of wings flapping further confirmed his thoughts. It sounded like a flock was taking to the air, but the fact that it sounded like huge wings, and they were in the dark further heightened Ferdinand’s sense of caution.

“They’re flying—-the manananggal, they’re taking to the skies.” Hubert said, holding out a hand. Then he whispered an incantation in ancient tongue, and soon his hand began to glow with a magic circle forming on his palm, runes swirling. Once he was done chanting, small, flying lights of gold flew out of his palms, flickering around them, as if they were trying to protect the two.

“Fireflies?” Ferdinand spoke, letting himself touch one, which soon rested on his finger.

Hubert gave a nod, his light green eye not covered by his hair illuminated by the insects’ spark. “I also put a spell on them so that the manananggal wouldn’t be able to see us as easy prey.” A rare smile rested on his lips, knowing that he and Ferdinand would be safe.

“So, the fireflies are a barrier, essentially.” Ferdinand guessed correctly.

Suddenly their walk back became less uncertain, but the dark didn’t go away afterwards.

—————————

Back in McKinley, Claude, Dimitri and Edelgard all sat in the living room, discussing what their course of action should be. The three had already reached to an agreement that something must be done about this sudden change, and with how big the problem’s reach literally was, they decided that it had to do be done immediately.

The thing they had to reach now was who should they consult for this predicament.

“Here’s the thing,” Claude began. “This kind of darkness is something I remember from my past...it wasn’t caused by any kind of weather phenomena.”

“So, you’re thinking that it’s not a typhoon.” Edelgard added.

Claude shook his head. “It can’t be a typhoon—if it was, it should have approached from the east instead from the north.”

“Right.” Dimitri nodded. “And as Claude mentioned earlier, this darkness is too opaque for it to come from a cloud.”

The brunette boy let out a huge sigh, rising up from his place on the couch. “From what we’ve got so far, this is not a weather issue. If anything...it’s more of a celestial one.” Honestly, Claude put that out as more of a guess, but given that they shot down the typhoon theory, it was the only other option to go with.

Edelgard had her hand’s fingers rest against her chin in thought. “If it’s something concerning only the sky, then who should we turn to for help?”

For that, Claude remained silent for a moment. His eyes went to look at his side, clearly assessing his options mentally. Afterwards, he snapped his fingers, and the smile that Dimitri knew so well finally rested on Claude’s features. Finally, a glimmer of hope came.

“There are only a few people I know who’ll be able to fix this.” He then went upstairs, much to the confusion of Dimitri and Edelgard. The siblings simply shrugged, letting Claude do his thing. Minutes later, Claude went downstairs with two big duffel bags.

“Here are clothes and other important stuff we need for our trip.” He tossed one to Edelgard, who caught it without difficulty. “Call up our University friends too—-we need all the help we can get.”

Dimitri got curious at this. “Trip? Where are we going?” He watched Claude reach the front door.

Claude turned back to look at the siblings. “To Meycauayan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so the journey begins.
> 
> Yep, with the big shadow covering the Metro, the creatures of the night have taken this opportunity to go out despite the time of day still being afternoon. And the suddenness of it has caused cars (the ones who don’t have their headlights on, which is pretty much most of the cars) to crash suddenly. Whoops.
> 
> Feel free to give feedback! :3


	6. Road Trip to the North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri, Claude and Edelgard finally go on their trip, able to fetch their schoolmates amidst the pitch black surroundings of the Metro.
> 
> Several pick-ups and one near death later, Claude asks for advice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is here! My mind is pretty sabog right now, sorry (since I wrote this within an hour or two), but here it is!
> 
> Anyways, there’s gonna be a near accident, and some advice from love guru Sylvain.
> 
> Enjoy this new addition!

Getting to their fellow schoolmates with the overhead darkness for a hazard made it much harder than they thought.

With the roads and street signs in front of them practically unreadable, even by the faint shine of the headlights, it was a trial all in itself. Luckily, Sylvain was the first Dimitri and company had managed to fetch, and his family happened to own a van big enough to carry their crew.

Now, Sylvain was behind the wheel, and they have just picked up Felix, who stayed in the front passenger seat of the van.

After which, they reached Ferdinand and Hubert’s dormitory building, and when the tires screeched in front of what they thought was the front of the building, the crew heard shouts calling for them. Looking behind them, Ferdinand and Hubert were running, carrying their own backpacks, rushing up to them with what appeared to be fireflies encircling the two.

“Guys!” Ferdinand called, his pace getting faster until his hand touched the side of the van in a huff. “The entrance was on the other side...hah...”

Hubert only slowed down once he reached the back of the van. Sauntering towards the sliding door, he commented, “I hate running...don’t do that again.”

Once Ferdinand and Hubert boarded the van, the fireflies dispersed, surrounding themselves around the vehicle. The blinking lights from these little insects provided a bit more scope, illuminating the van’s surroundings, making it a bit easier for Sylvain to traverse the road.

——————————-

Next, they went their way to pick up Lysithea and Ingrid, and while on the way, they got to see the mass of cars that were pushed together. Some were wrecked in between, others had their fronts heavily damaged, windshields and door windows shattered.

Then there were those cars that were unfortunate to have been sandwiched in between bigger vehicles, being crushed so badly beyond repair. Even public transportation vehicles weren’t off the hook, as some wrecks of jeepneys and UV Express vans have been spotted while driving on.

Edelgard gave a little gasp at the sight. “Oh no...” Then she realized something important, a detail that she sorely missed before they set off in this perilous road trip. “I hope mom and dad are alright...”

Dimitri, who sat in between Claude and Edelgard, pulled out his phone, and sure enough, a message from his mother and father was sent only a few seconds ago. “No need to worry, El—-mom and dad both told me that they’re alright; they’re just staying in the embassy since it’s not safe to get out.”

Edelgard sighed in relief. “Oh, thank goodness—if I saw their car among those wrecked outside...”

“Yeah, El, I’d hate to see it too.” Dimitri said.

Minutes later, Lysithea and Ingrid got on board from an unoccupied junction, the former carrying a book with a worn out cover and antiquated pages.

“Just in case.” Lysithea commented in regards to her item. “I have spells ready.”

——————————

After that, it was Ignatz and Dorothea, and everyone was now present and counted for.

“Just to recap, where are we headed again?” Sylvain asked, his eyes at the rearview mirror to look at Claude.

“To Meycauayan,” Claude replied. “We’re gonna meet with some people I know who can help us.”

Felix leaned against his seat to look behind him. “And who are these people?”

“You could say they’re friends from my past...ones who are kinda like me.” Claude replied. “Except they’re more of the higher ups.”

“Like, gods?” Ingrid added, to which the brunette boy gave a nod. Lysithea gasped, nearly getting off of her seat as she heard this.

“You mean we’ll finally meet them? The gods of old?”

“Yep. But their appearances are far from old, I’ll tell you that.” Claude remarked. “Also, these gods we’ll meet are siblings.”

Ferdinand raised his hand. “How did you meet them? Was it while you were busy with some of your magical doings?” This was probably the first time anyone heard of Claude’s past rendezvous with some important figures, being deities to boot. Soon, almost everybody in the van leaned their heads closer to listen.

“Well...it was when—-“ then the van suddenly teetered to the side in almost an instant. Sylvain failed to see the edge of the roadside in his windshield with the limited light he had, so the van began to topple sideways, close to a surprisingly long drop below.

Nearly everyone screamed from the fear of losing their lives by plummeting below. But before the van fell down any further, Claude rose up from his seat and rammed his whole body against the side, and channeled his powers. Soon the van, from Claude’s bout of divine luck, shot upwards, into a curve headed back to the road.

Claude kept his side pressed against the sliding door of the van. “Lysithea, now!”

Without further instruction, Lysithea raised her arms, her hands making magical gestures to summon her power. Her magic then came in the form of the van floating slowly, and from Lysithea’s gesticulations, the vehicle landed safely back on the road. Everybody’s breathing was heard in the silence, having just overcome that near-death.

After a while, Felix was the first to break the quiet. “Don’t get your eyes off the road, Sylvain.”

Sylvain only nervously chuckled after that. He did let his guard down a bit by turning his head back. His foot then pushed on the pedal once more, this time with the addition of an energy ball spell from Lysithea to ensure he was able to see the outside more clearly.

————————

Somewhere along the road trip, most of the schoolmates had dozed off in their seats. The only ones who remained awake were of course Sylvain, and Claude. The former took notice on how Claude’s eyes were tirelessly watching over Dimitri, who was resting on the brunette boy’s shoulder. In addition, Claude’s gaze appeared longing, as if there was something in his mind.

“Something making you think, Claude?” Sylvain asked, his eyes looking at the rearview mirror again.

Claude almost jumped at the sudden break in silence. He didn’t expect anyone to speak up in this quiet. “Not really.”

“You sure?” Sylvain raised a brow. “Your eyes have been doing nothing but looking over Dimitri beside you.”

“I suppose I did do that for a while since he dozed off...” Claude’s gaze went back to his boyfriend, and his hand reached out to move some blonde locks off of Dimitri’s face. His love was truly an angel when asleep. Then, Claude’s smile dropped for a bit, recalling something. “But...”

“But?”

“I was wondering...” Claude began. “Sylvain, you’ve been called a romance expert by some of us here—I think you can help me with what I’m having right now.”

The redhead got surprised by this. He didn’t really call himself a ‘romance expert’, but he was addressed as such, more of a joke than anything. But Sylvain wasn’t going to ignore a plea for some love advice, with what his numerous attempts at romantic escapades have taught him and all.

“What do you need help with?”

Claude took a deep breath, clearly trying to say this in a non-nervous way. “How do you...let’s say...become open to more intimate gestures?”

Oh, that was an easy one for Sylvain to answer. He chuckled a bit in his response. “Well, the answer to that is you must know when you’re ready to take this step, and when you’re ready, don’t hesitate, and take it slow if you have to.” His eyes went back and forth between the rearview mirror and on the road. “Why do you ask? Is Dimitri giving more intimate gestures to you, as you say?”

“...Yes.” Claude affirmed, his face becoming almost bashful. “Recently, he’s been trying to give a kiss below my lips, that place being at my neck, but everytime, I back away.”

“Ohhh...well, that’s fine, if you don’t want to do it right away.” Sylvain said. “But—“ The redhead’s gaze became uncharacteristically serious. “You still have to tell Dimitri about this. Besides, this is something that you two have to speak about as a couple. Becoming more intimate isn’t something that’s decided solo.”

Claude took his time to let the words go through his mind. It was indeed sound advice, one that made sense for him to take note of. He did agree with how he had to open to Dimitri about this issue, but Claude felt like he needed a bit more insight in regards to becoming intimate itself.

Meanwhile, the headlights managed to reach the sign that had directions to Meycauayan, and so Sylvain drove on, reaching to the exact address with the help of Claude’s directions.

It was still dark, but Claude managed to make out the outline of the house from the van’s window.

They were finally here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Phew. That was a close call.
> 
> Anyways, next part is where the Far Eastern students finally meet with the celestial god siblings.
> 
> Feel free to give feedback. :3


	7. The Sisters of the Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Far Eastern students meet the three sisters of Ephraim for the first time, and a little tidbit from Claude’s past is revealed.
> 
> In the meantime, some questions are asked about the true nature of the shadow in the sky.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here’s the next part! The interesting thing that happened while I was writing this chapter was that I suddenly wrote something that wasn’t originally in the story outline I made. But I thought it was a good tidbit to throw into the plot. :)
> 
> Anyways, enjoy this new additon!

Meanwhile, Ephraim’s sisters went to work in their attempts to alleviate their brother’s condition.

After a talk with the doctor, Ephraim was sent back to their old colonial house in a ride back to Meycauayan. His condition remained unchanged throughout the trip back to their home; his once fair tan skin still had a pallid shade, lips were beginning to lose its scarlet color. And in those moments when he woke up for a brief period of time, Ephraim’s eyes that used to be a bright blue were now dull sapphires that lost their luster.

Lyon assisted in helping Eirika and Byleth carrying Ephraim back to his room, while Micaiah did the work in setting up the bed. Ephraim’s bed was close to the window, in the hopes of letting some air in to relax his nerves. Even if the outside remained pitch dark from that unknown cause.

Once Ephraim was settled on his cot, Micaiah and Byleth made their move to leave.

“I’ll be preparing some dinner for us tonight, even if...” Micaiah’s eyes trailed to her brother, still out of commission. “He won’t be able to join us for now.” She retreated to the open doorway, with Byleth following closely behind. Then, as Eirika was about to leave, she noticed that Lyon didn’t move an inch from his spot on Ephraim’s bed. Lavender eyes remained pointed at its gaze to the man lying down, and his lips formed a thin line.

“Lyon?” Eirika asked. “Aren’t you going to come down too?”

Slowly, Lyon shook his head. “I think I’d want to stay here for a bit longer.” His voice became a whisper, almost shaking. “I don’t want to leave him alone.”

The teal haired woman nodded once. “I understand.” Eirika said, passing through the open door, and pulling it to close it shut. “Please get a meal for yourself later, okay?”

The thought of a meal almost made Lyon uneasy; the last thing he and Ephraim did together before all of this happened was having such in an eatery.

Regardless, he gave a reply of, “I will.”

———————————

Downstairs, the sisters gathered to sit around at the dining table. They dragged the near-heavy chairs made of narra wood, taking their seats and said their graces. In their minds, all they thought of was the hope that their brother would show some signs of healing.

After which, they had began eating their meals on the table. The silence was loud in the room; no one dared to speak up for a bit. Especially considering the topic that was occupying their heads.

Ever the empathetic sister, Micaiah was the first to break the silence. “So...do you have any idea what’s ailing our brother?”

Eirika placed down her silverware gently on the sides of her plate, shaking her head. “I have no clue. I’ve never seen anything like this happen to anyone, let alone someone within our brethren.”

Byleth nodded in agreement to her older sister’s words. “I don’t remember such a thing in the long lifespan I’ve had.”

“And yet, Ephraim...” Eirika began, but shook herself out of completing that sentence. She wasn’t sure if she could talk further about the specifics of her twin’s condition. Anymore and she could’ve burst into tears.

On the other hand, Micaiah was there to fill in her thoughts. “Indeed, and Lyon was unfortunate to be first to witness it too...”

Unbeknownst to the sisters, Lyon had already exited Ephraim’s room, and was going down the staircase when he heard his name being mentioned in the dining room. He stopped in his tracks to take a listen.

Back to the dining table gathering, Micaiah continued speaking. “...Who, or what do you think is responsible? It can’t be something ordinary—-Ephraim’s too powerful for that.”

“I’m not sure, but...did one of the gods in Father’s court hold any grudge against us or the other deities?” Byleth raised. Micaiah and Eirika both turned their heads to their youngest sibling, intending to hear more. “There must have been someone from our past who could’ve come back to get even with Ephraim.”

“But the only one who possibly knows that someone is Ephraim himself, considering that he’s the target.” Eirika added, shaking her head. “Yet he’s too incapacitated to speak, let alone stay awake for more than a minute or two.”

“That alone should tell us how powerful that threat is.” Micaiah pointed out. “Though I refuse to believe it.”

“What do you mean?” Byleth inquired.

The silver-haired of the trio continued. “If that threat is so powerful it could get at Ephraim without issue, why only now? Why didn’t they take any opportunity before this? Also,” Her gaze went to the open capiz windows, looking on at the pitch black shadow that now occupied the sky fully. “Why only Ephraim and not the other gods if this someone wanted vengeance?”

“Not to mention that this culprit could come after us too, especially Eirika.” Byleth added.

Eirika held her head in her hand, rubbing her forehead as if it would help refresh her memory. “I’m trying to recall anything at all—during our tenure up in the sky...” Only for her to sigh coming up with nothing. “This is one of the downsides of living a long life—-any memory can be missed if it’s not paid attention to.” Especially when a huge portion of that long life was spent down with the mortals. “Right now, we need to figure it out, for Ephraim.”

“If we don’t reach an answer soon, our brother will...” Byleth trailed off; not even her collectedness was enough to mask the lingering unease she felt.

“He won’t.”

The sisters, startled, turned to the one who spoke up, seeing that Lyon had just reached the bottom of the stairs. “Lyon...” Eirika uttered.

“Not if I can help it.” Lyon continued, approaching the dinner table and placing his palms flat on the surface. “I refuse to simply let him meet his demise. There is an answer, and we’ll all find it.” Lyon remained determined as he spoke, despite his voice becoming shaky in some words.

Micaiah moved to stand and comfort Lyon, only for him to say, “It’s alright, it’s alright...I just—-I can’t just stand around doing nothing, not when I can try to do something.”

He then looked at the nearby bookshelf, scanning the rows of book spines lined up. “It might be something recorded in books—maybe it will give us a chance.”

As Lyon went to that spot and grabbed a book from the shelf, a knock on the door was heard. Byleth rose up from her seat. “I’ll get it.” A ball of flame formed on her palm, making her older sisters look at her blankly. “What? It might be the culprit of our brother’s suffering—it helps to be prepared.”

Collectedly, she turned the doorknob, and opened to see a young man: hair brown, eyes a vibrant hazel-green and clothed in golden yellow attire that is casual. Byleth raised her brows at the person in front of her, a sense of familiarity coming back.

“Are you just going to stand there and not let me in?” The brunette man joked. “Do you not remember me?”

Byleth suddenly remembered; the way this person spoke was pretty familiar...it could only be one she can recall. “Ibong Bahaghari...”

“Good to see you again, Teach!” The youth greeted with a smile. “It’s been, what? Months since you last taught me?”

Byleth gave a nod, confirming his words. “Yes, Claude. You studied in Ateneo back then—and you were the only divine creature in human form in any of the classes I taught.”

Claude gave a laugh. “Indeed—I formally got to meet your sisters and brother through you too. Those were good times.” In the moment, he recalled the times when he used to study in Ateneo High School after he permanently settled in Manila, when he first encountered Byleth, and coming to know that his teacher was someone like him. Then, he met his teacher’s siblings, was given personal tutelage on the Tagalog pantheon and refining his powers, and the rest is history and memories for Claude.

Byleth gave a little grin. “Why don’t you come inside?”

“Sure!” Claude made the move to step in, only to pause at the first step. “Oh! I brought some company—-you mind if I call them to come here too?”

“I don’t mind. You and your companions can follow along.”

“Thanks,” Claude then pivoted to the van behind him. “Hey! It’s okay to come inside now!”

—————————-

The students of Far Eastern were in awe of the indoors of the family house. It was a trip back in time, with the dark brown floorboards and capiz shell windowpanes capturing the old years. The chandeliers and even some of the furniture had an antiquated feel to it.

“So, I guess it falls to me to introduce you guys to these lovely ladies.” Claude began, gesturing to the three sisters. “This is Eirika, Micaiah and Byleth, the Moon, Dawn and the Stars. The last of which was actually my former teacher in a school I attended before Far Eastern.”

All of the crew waved hello to the three women. Lysithea in particular stepped out to take a good look at them, and was unable to fight off a smile from her face. “So you really are the deities of old?” Her eyes almost became starlike in their gaze.

Eirika smiled. “Well, we are. It’s good to see that Ibong Bahaghari has finally made some friends of his own.”

“Oh, shush, Mayari.” Claude chuckled, addressing Eirika by her old name. “I’m not that anti-social.”

“But you had, and still have, a habit of keeping things to yourself plenty of times.” Micaiah pointed out. “It took us a while to figure out that Ibong Adarna was your mother, and even then it was only because we heard you sing.”

“...Okay, I’ll give you that.” muttered Claude. 

———————————-

Once the students unloaded their items and made themselves cozy in the ancestral house, the sisters called upon all of them to disclose that they knew so far with Claude’s suggestion. It was there that they were made aware of Ephraim’s condition, and how it’s currently affecting him as they spoke.

“Poor Ephraim...” Dimitri whispered, shaking his head from the news. “So you think this big shadow covering the whole of the Metro is what is making him ill?”

“It’s the most likely explanation we can think of so far.” Eirika replied. “The sky was deprived of the sunlight, and Ephraim got affected at the same time.”

“We think it’s something or someone who’s responsible for all of this,” Micaiah added. “Yet our memory is faint—as much as we’re trying to remember, since that shadow seemed so familiar...”

Lyon, who had been occupied with a book for a few minutes, himself trying to find answers, had entered to them speaking. Then, he recognized the tell-tale green eyes and brown hair——this was someone he encountered before. “Wait, it’s you!” He pointed at Claude.

Claude looked up to see the lavender-haired man with matching lavender eyes speaking to him. “Oh! You’re the guy whom I saved from a bus accident!”

“A bus accident?” Dimitri asked.

“Long story.” Claude commented. “How has it been, uh...”

“It’s Lyon.” replied the other man. “I didn’t know that you would be coming here.”

“Oh, it’s fine! I also didn’t know that I would encounter you again.” Claude continued, suddenly frowning. “And considering the reason why we’re all here...let’s start finding some answers to how we can help Ephraim.”

“Right!” Ferdinand said, before yawning. “Goodness, the road trip’s had me beat.” His head lulled to the side, only for Hubert to catch it using his shoulder. Hubert’s arm held on to Ferdinand’s waist.

“Tired again? When you just took a nap in the van?” Hubert scolded, though his tone and fond smile suggested he was far from mad. He looked to the others, look apologetic. “Please excuse him.”

“Not at all!” Micaiah assured. “We do have plenty of rooms in the house, so go ahead and make yourselves comfortable.”

———————————-

The Far Eastern Students chatted amongst themselves as they ascended the staircase that led to the bedrooms and bathroom. It was a spacious residence, so the halls were wide and the rooms many.

Ingrid, Sylvain and Felix shared a room, Dorothea and Edelgard went to occupy another one, and Ignatz volunteered to sleep in the living room to give more space to the rest (he said that he was comfortable sleeping on the tree branches anyways).

Claude witnessed Ferdinand and Hubert go inside another guest room, and in his chest, a stinging feeling slowly spread. He thought back to when he refused that neck kiss, and wondered if he would be happier if he accepted it back then. His breathing paved way to a sigh; this wasn’t a time for him to sulk about personal matters.

Then, Hubert moved to place his face against the crook of Ferdinand’s neck, making the latter giggle in the sweetest laugh the house has probably heard. The sweet sound of Ferdinand’s laughter contrasted with the tune of melancholy that resounded in Claude’s heart. His mind told him not to become too jealous—-he and Dimitri had their own way of doing things, it’s not like that it’s a competition on who was the most affectionate.

Or the most intimate.

Honestly, Claude thought to himself, being bothered by such things was so unfair.

“Claude?”

The brunette jumped a bit from his position, turning to meet golden eyes staring back at him, amused. He let out a mirthless laugh upon realizing he got scared for nothing. “Micaiah. You’ve been lingering there the whole time?”

”Nope, I only arrived here a second ago.” She replied, fully climbing up the stairwell. “Is something bothering you?”

“No, I just...” The younger gave an exasperated sigh, his fingers moving to rub the back of his neck. The words were too stubborn to get out.

To his relief, Micaiah didn’t appear judgmental about his verbal struggle. “It’s okay, just let it out slowly.”

Claude felt a rush of courage come in as he spoke out again. “I...am thinking about getting to the next level with Dimitri.”

“Oh? You have a lover already? How sweet.” Micaiah cooed. “But what’s holding you back from ‘taking the next level’, as you say?”

“Well...I am, what you say, scared, I guess.” Claude admitted sheepishly. “I don’t know how to push through with it without...such memories coming back to me.”

Micaiah nodded her head slowly. “Oh...Well, it’s okay to take it slow—it’s okay to take a chance, but do it in your own pace, not too quickly.” A nostalgic smile formed on her lips. “I learned that when Pelleas courted me a long time ago. We both agreed to take it a step at a time.”

A team effort, his mind thought, as he gave a small smile in turn. “I see...” His lungs were soon taken over by a yawn. “Anyways, I’m going to get some shut eye. Thanks, Hanan.”

“Anytime, Niño de Adarna.”

—————————-

Lyon checked his watch, standing outside at the balcony of the ancestral house. It was now the early hours of nighttime, but with the day becoming dark in such short notice, the night was literally eternal. But at the very least, the moon and the stars managed to appear, even if their glow remained faint this time around. It appeared that the shadow still lingered above, as if it wanted no one to receive that little bit of respite from the sky.

The wind picked up, blowing some of his lavender locks to the air. This night may be calm, but his heart wasn’t, not when the person who made it calm to begin with was in peril.

“Oh, Ephraim...” The softness of his whisper was caught by the breeze.

Lyon found it a bit silly to make himself worry too much over his Ephraim—-it was always a weakness of his to be too attached to anything he held dear. He never had anyone else before Ephraim, and now that he was at risk of losing the one person he loved, Lyon didn’t know just how to...

“Lyon?”

The young man’s attention shifted to Eirika, who stood by the veranda doors. Lyon didn’t know what to feel when she came to stand beside him; he wasn’t the only one who had a loved one in peril. Not a single word came out of Lyon, so Eirika did the courtesy to speak up.

“It still troubles you, right?”

Lyon released a sigh. “Of course...I mean—you’re at risk of losing your beloved brother. I’m about to lose my lover to something that’s not making itself known to us. And yet...”

“Yet?”

“Yet I can’t lose that hope. Ephraim has always been the one who protected me ever since we first met.” Lyon replied, resting a hand on his chest, nearly clutching his shirt. “Now I have to return the favor—I will get him back on his feet. I-I will g-get him back...”

“Lyon? Are you...” Eirika asked, raising a hand that almost reached Lyon’s face.

Lyon shook his head. “I’m fine! I’m fine...” He took a deep breath, relaxing himself. “I won’t give up on him...just as he didn’t give up on me, a long time back.”

Eirika smiled, patting Lyon on the shoulder. “Of course.” Her one eye, the one not obscured by her eye patch, glowed a pearl white—the moon’s essence. One of the many manifestations of her power. “Me, Micaiah and Byleth...we won’t give up on him either.”

The young man found a smile forming on his face for the first time since this all happened.

“Yeah. This darkness won’t last.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Niño de Adarna: Adarna’s child or Child of Adarna (Referring to the fact that the Ibong Adarna is Claude’s mom in this AU)
> 
> Author’s Notes:
> 
> And here’s the end of this part! Next comes the reveal of the threat itself (after so much reactions and questions).
> 
> Feel free to give feedback! :)


	8. Legend Forgotten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unknown voice speaks of their history, and how their first attempt in swallowing a celestial sphere ended up becoming a recurrence for it fighting against the other gods, Apolaki in particular.
> 
> Now centuries have passed, and this voice now is driven to finish what it started.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a different kind of chapter, since one, it’s in a first person perspective, and two, the one telling this is the one responsible for basically everything happening in this story—including Ephraim getting out of commission.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy this new addition!

A long time ago, long before any of these foreign invaders ever stepped foot on these islands, there were gods who watched over the kingdoms near the river and the lake. These gods were in charge of different aspects of a mortal’s life—-fertility, harvest, hunting, even romantic love.

However, the mortals looked up to one supreme god, he who dwelled up in the sky—Bathala, creator of their kingdoms, their lands and waters.

The beginning and the end.

The mortals spewed out chants of worship for their supreme god, his subordinates, and his offspring. With their prayers, the gods provided with their blessings and protection. It was the order of such with the divine authority of his chamber. This was the way things had been centuries ago.

———————————

I was but a creature who dwelled in a dark place, and I never truly felt motivated to escape my domain. The sounds of praise to the gods only annoyed my ears—-the mortals’ chants were incessant in their joy and wonder. It disturbed me every night that transpired; the roars I howl aren’t enough to keep them away. Honestly, it grated on my nerves.

I wanted nothing to do with those divine deities...

...until one night.

For the first time, I came to look up at the sky. It was dark out, not a creature stirred from their habitat, asleep. Those annoying people were silent, much to my relief, with the howling winds being the only noise I heard through my ears. Amihan appeared to love their solitude at night, and eventually, so did I.

I looked up that night, and saw the most beautiful sight I ever saw: the bright, white moon, illuminating ever so radiantly above me. For the first time, my crimson eyes saw something else other than red—I was drawn to this new sight. It was soothing to my whole being, therapeutic to my bones.

Then, suddenly, I felt myself ascend upwards. I didn’t know if I had done it on purpose, or just on a whim. But whatever the reason, I was drawn to the sight that was the beautiful moon.

Rumor was that it was the domain of one of Bathala’s daughters, regarded as the most beautiful of them all.

The goddess Mayari.

From what little I’ve heard of her name, she is an attractive sort—-many mortals and deities alike were drawn to her ethereal appearance. Her light, even as part of it was diminished by combat, remained soothing and remedial to the eyes. Even as she is renowned for her beauty, Mayari, for whatever reason, remained hidden on her domain.

But tonight, I was going to see her for the first time since my conception on this land. I was motivated to reach for that light, to hold it in whatever way I can—-the moonlight, at first sight of it, became my reason to go on and escape my dwelling place.

I soared up to the sky, my massive body trailing suit behind me. My giant maw opened in awe, ready to welcome the shining light in me. This was something I’ve never tried to do before, but the drive to do so was enticing.

Closer, I was ready to close my maws to catch the light inside. I was almost there, I nearly got ahold of something I never thought I wanted—-

Then I heard them.

Cries, from the land below.

The mortals just so happened to be awake at that night, and paid witness to what I was about to fulfill. I didn’t count on them not attending to their routine to resting beneath the night sky. No matter, I wasn’t going to be deterred in this desire of mine to take ahold of this moonlight I greatly wanted.

But it seemed like the mortals’ cries didn’t end there, no.

Their shouts and yells weren’t just what they were—-when I listened closer to their words, I found that the mortals were screaming prayers.

They were resorting to calling the gods to put me down.

And they were getting louder and louder in my head.

Just when I was inches away from getting the moon in my grasp, two figures flew towards me, their aura so bright that my eyes of red couldn’t see anything else. I recognized one of them; the cool aura around her was like that of the moon that represented her. Mayari.

But the other figure, he had tattoos lining his arms and his chest—-his eyes aflame with blue light. All of him was engulfed with this energy—one that resembled fire. The heat of that energy made me realize whom I was facing against.

The sun god. Bathala’s son. The warrior of warriors.

Apolaki.

I let out a mighty roar, angry that they dared to interrupt my pursuit. However, that roar only made them stand their ground, ready to fight back. For now, I set aside the moonlight in favor of taking down those in my way of it. Letting out another roar, I lunged down, straight at the two gods to attack them. I wasn’t going to let them stop my goal.

However, they both rushed towards me, and struck me so hard on the head—-I barely remembered what happened after that. My body felt heavier than it ever was; I felt myself sinking back to the ground, and when I landed, the earth shook from the force. My eyes looked up to see both the Sun and the Moon gazing at me, angered. Before I was able to do anything else, Apolaki lifted his spear and stabbed downwards, back to the earth from whence I came.

————————————-

Since that first attempt, I tried to capture the moonlight again in the nights when the moon was full, wanting to get the whole of it. Every, single, time, I failed in those attempts—no thanks to the gods that thwarted my pursuits.

All of them looked at me with hatred for trying to take away a blessing that these mortals held for so long. But none was ever so furious as Apolaki, his efforts to protect his dear lunar sister met with nothing but success.

Inside myself, the anger brewed within as well, and as the sun god thrusted me back to the earth one last time, I vowed to myself that one day, I will steal his light in retaliation.

——————————-

And now, that time had come, when my jaws finally took ahold of that warm, radiant light that the sun god was known for. Unguarded, bright, but most of all, mine to keep.

But I was puzzled; where was he? Or his sister, the moon, for that matter?

Whatever the case was, it only proved to be more convenient—-I was on the path to finally getting what I wanted.

Once I’m done fully swallowing the sunlight, the moonlight will be mine to hold too.

——————————

“Laho.”

“Huh?” Ignatz asked, hearing Edelgard say the word as she was scanning her laptop’s screen. He and Edelgard were the only ones who stayed awake at this time, aside from Eirika and Byleth, who set themselves to work brightening up the night sky.

“I think I found what, or who might be responsible for this.” Edelgard replied, pointing at the search results. She clicked on one such link, and it lead to a data goldmine describing this creature, illustrated with a giant snake-like appearance, eyes blood red. In its maws, it bit down on the moon, itself colored scarlet.

“This creature,” Edelgard’s finger remained pointed at the article. “It’s called the Laho. While it’s not the only creature of its kind, it’s a certainty that it’s the one causing this current darkness.”

“...It’s possible.” Ignatz spoke out. “They did mention that the darkness first came down from the north of here. The Laho is the serpent eater that covers the Tagalog region, and since the ones engulfed in the shadow so far are in that region...”

Edelgard didn’t give him time to finish his sentence, as she rose up from her seat and moved to go upstairs. “We should tell them right away.”

Ignatz let out a yawn. “Yeah...maybe not tonight though—-everyone’s taking a rest, and you should probably go for a rest too.”

“Alright...” Edelgard agreed, reluctantly. She let out a yawn herself—how long did she stay up researching in the laptop?

“Anyways, I’ll go get some shut eye; goodnight Ignatz.” Edelgard called, going up the steps completely.

“Goodnight.” Ignatz replied back, and went into an uneasy sleep. He felt a vision ready to come in his head—-he wasn’t sure whether it will come sooner or later.

But regardless, at least the darkness was suddenly less certain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Laho: a word meaning “eclipse” but it also means to swallow without a trace. The namesake creature is basically one of the many celestial eaters in Philippine Mythology—-one that tries to eat the sun and/or moon for various reasons. The Laho is the Tagalogs’ take on the celestial eater—-it’s a serpent like being that is believed to cause Lunar Eclipses. Not much data is given about this serpentine creature, but what is known is that sometimes, when it swallows the moon, it can cause a phenomena known as the Blood Moon. It has other regional counterparts, the most well-known of which is the Bakunawa.
> 
> Author’s Notes:
> 
> What do you think of the way this creature revealed itself? I hope that this one doesn’t keep the sun in its grasp for long.
> 
> Feel free to give feedback! :)


	9. In Lament of the Legend Forgotten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More and more about the situation has come to light, including the answer to why Ephraim got seemingly defeated by a single bite from this sun (formerly moon) eater.
> 
> Then the sisters express lamentation on the people forgetting their roots...and their deities on top of it, despite recent re-exposure to them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here’s the next part! Originally this was supposed to be in the previous chapter, but I decided to make it separate since my mind was so tired (on top of Typhoon Ulysses that passed by our country, among other things). 
> 
> Anyways, enjoy this new addition!

The next morning, the sky remained dark out, still with little to no sign of the blue hues or the clouds. However, at the very least, a small golden light on the horizon made the others know that it was indeed early morning.

Once Edelgard got up from her sleep, she went down and met up with Ephraim’s sisters, who were gathered in the living room. In there, Micaiah’s hands were glowing a golden color, the aura in them taking the shape of little spheres. Her duty as the deity of the dawn wasn’t hindered one bit by the shadow lingering over their heads.

“Guys...” Edelgard began, taking a spare seat near the sisters. “I think I found out what is hurting your brother.”

Upon hearing this, Eirika perked up from her seat, even leaning close to Edelgard’s direction for good measure. Whatever it was, she didn’t want to miss a detail. “Go on.”

The other Far Eastern students, who happened to be outside at the garden, also got to overhear Edelgard’s words. Next thing she knew, the whole living room was occupied with plenty of people. This was a long time coming—-yesterday was one day filled with questions and uncertainty, and for one of them to be able to find the answer in such short notice...suddenly the rest were jealous of Dimitri having a clever sister.

That aside, Edelgard wasted no time in saying what she found. “It’s something called a celestial eater—a creature called the Laho.” She pulled out her laptop, and showed the page that she found last night. Upon seeing the image, Eirika suddenly blinked and clutched her forehead from shock. The suddenness of it made her younger sisters clutch onto her shoulders in an effort to keep her steady.

“Miss Eirika—!” Ingrid called, reaching out.

Eirika shook her head. “I’m fine...” She breathed. “I just—something came back to me now.” Now her palm pressed against her head as she began to recall that particular memory. “It’s about Ephraim...”

“What is it that you remember Ephraim do before?” Claude asked, now curious as it was his first time hearing something such as this from her.

“...It was centuries ago...” Eirika began, her eyes staring at nowhere in particular. “...When all of us made the choice to live on the surface.”

———————————

FOUR CENTURIES AGO...

Two figures were gazing down at the land below their floating feet. Legions of men wearing helmets with a distinctive shape were marching along the newly acquired territory of what was once the Kingdom of Tondo. As they were carrying boxes of what appeared to be weaponry and supplies, the two figures looked to each other.

“I guess...this is it.” Mayari was the first to speak, her voice in a near whisper. Her eyes, which normally glistened by her power, were now dull from the current feelings that she felt. For them to lose their devotees and their subjects to this new religion and these foreign visitors that promoted it...it now left them with a sense of emptiness that couldn’t be filled with anything else.

“Indeed.” Apolaki replied. “Our reign over our beloved people...is over.” His mouth frowned, a solemn look present that was rare for the sun god.

“To think we were foolish enough to believe that we could still...” Apolaki clenched his fist, to which his sister responded by placing a gentle hand on it.

“Brother...”

Apolaki remained silent even as Mayari addressed him. She hadn’t seen him this despondent since their duel that cost her one of her eyes.

When it seemed like he wouldn’t say anything else, he spoke up again.

“...Even if the people don’t worship us anymore, I won’t stop being their vanguard.” Apolaki vowed, placing a hand on his chest, above the intricate designs of his tattoos that decorated his victories and tales of triumph. Even though their reverence has been lost by the mortals, he wouldn’t stop in gaining another triumphant deed.

Mayari nodded to that sentiment, looking down at her own writings decorating her arms and wrists. “I fully agree, Brother. No matter who I may be, I have a duty to the people. We have a duty to them.”

“How I wish things would turn out to be different, but with this change...” Apolaki spoke, observing further the activity of the Spanish occupants. “I feel uncertain for their fate...”

“They’re still our subjects, Brother.” Mayari insisted, even as she harbored uncertainty herself. “We must do what we can. Duty to them, remember?”

“Right. Apologies, Sister.” Apolaki answered. His sky blue eyes looked next to him—the sun, a vessel for his power, beamed ever so radiantly down to the land below. Its warmth suddenly gave the sun god an idea.

He floated next to the near-spherical star, and outstretched his arms and hands, then closed his eyes. Mayari got curious as to what he was doing.

“Brother?”

Then, by the palms of his hands, gleaming beams of light gathered, and then shot out. By the sudden burst of power, Apolaki’s eyes shot open, pure white from the power emanating from him. Mayari didn’t dare to stop him, not when she realized what this meant for her brother.

——-

Moments later, Apolaki put down his hands, his task completed. He side-eyed his twin, telling her, “This is for them.” The sun god floated back next to the moon goddess, back to being by her side in the mostly clear blue sky. By now, both the natives and the foreigners were set to work making a new building. One that looked like it was to be tall, and had a crucifix at the center of it.

Mayari broke the silence. “Why did you do that?”

“Channel most of my power to the sun?” Apolaki clarified. “I...honestly thought of it on a whim.”

“Brother...” Mayari’s tone almost sounded irritated. Reckless, as always.

“But!” Apolaki raised his voice, like the thunder he sometimes had reign over. “In a way, doing it would mean ensuring that the sun would keep shining, even when I’m not around. And...”

“And?”

“...Maybe the people will one day look up at it, and remember.” Apolaki finished. “It’s my way of doing my duty—one that will hopefully make them realize...” The volume of his voice fainted the more he spoke.

“Realize...that we are always here for them.” Mayari completed. “No matter what, as guardian deities of our domain, the people in it will be guided.”

“Even if those occupiers will eventually lose their way.” Apolaki added. “It’s only a matter of time before they will become oppressive to our people. And when that happens...I hope my light will inspire them to fight on.”

“I hope for the same.” agreed Mayari. “I want them to remember too...and help them take up arms if ever the inevitable comes sooner or later.”

She pivoted her vision to the sun, now brighter by the influx of energy given by her brother. Her eyes were filled with hope—-one that was as undying as the light before her.

“May our light provide.”

———————————-

BACK TO THE PRESENT

Everyone remained silent as Eirika finished the whole story. In a few seconds, Lyon broke the ice with his words.

“So that’s why...Ephraim—he gave away part of him to the sun itself.” Lyon put the pieces together. “Then when that thing—-Laho, bit the sun, it affected Ephraim without as much as a fight from him.” It felt less uneasy now that they knew why Ephraim’s condition ended up as such, however it only meant that the current circumstances of his strife needed to be undone.

“When I also gave away part of my power to illuminate the moon, I feared that one of the celestial eaters would covet the light for themselves.” Eirika stated.

“Wait...” Felix raised his hand. “There’s more than one celestial eater that tried to get at you and the other gods?” His tone went disbelieving.

The sisters nodded simultaneously. “Laho is far from the only one.” Byleth pointed out. “There were also others...sea serpent Bakunawa of the Visayas islands and Bicol Peninsula. Sky snake Sawa, who dwells in the remote areas of what is today Pampanga.”

“Then there’s Tambanokawa, the giant crab offspring of the Mandaya’s sun and moon gods.” Claude added, his tone of familiarity speaking of experience. “Arimaonga, the lion who tried to swallow the Maranao people’s moon goddess and Eirika. In addition, the Minokawa, a draconic-like bird whom I have a long history with...”

“Another one of your secrets from your past, Claude?” Dimitri asked, almost teasingly, to which his boyfriend groaned.

“Let’s just say part of how my parents raised me involved getting up close and personal when battling against this sun and moon devourer.”

“Ohhhh...” drawled the Far Eastern students at this piece of information.

Claude did have a light smile form despite that part of his life being disclosed. “In all seriousness, I faced the dragon bird so often that I joke to myself and the other deities in Mindanao that the reason why the Minokawa hasn’t been around is because its afraid of facing me.”

“You must have been a force to be reckoned with, then.” Dimitri said, admiringly.

A gradient rainbow feather materialized in Claude’s hand, to which he gave a light peck to. The little kiss transformed the feather into an arrow, which had colorful fletchings at the end. “I guess I was.”

Micaiah raised a hand, appearing solemn. “You were lucky that your people managed to keep the worship of their local deities alive. Us? We’ve become...”

“Impertinent.” Eirika finished, now becoming sad as well. “The people’s beliefs have changed centuries ago, and with it the stories of these celestial eaters. By forgetting these legends, they’ve forgotten how to deal with them.”

Byleth nodded in agreement to this. “Indeed. It’s only recently that they’ve been re-exposed to the deities and supernatural creatures of this land, but centuries of emulating a colonizer’s culture has made them apathetic to it, even if they’re aware of such.”

“Now that the Laho has come and try to devour the sun...” Ignatz lamented, being the one who first saw it happen in a vision. “Chaos has happened, and people have gotten themselves hurt in the roads, being taken by surprise with the darkness that formed. They have no idea what to do, or what’s going on.”

“What’s more, mortal lives aren’t the only ones caught up in this.” Lyon reminded, directing his gaze upstairs, to where Ephraim still stayed out cold.

These heavy, somber feelings reminded them of those horrible crash sites they passed by on the way to the province. It was a sight they didn’t want to see again, not after knowing the possibility that some perished in those road accidents.

Amidst the unwelcome tension, Ingrid decided to calm it a bit. “So, now we’re in agreement that the Laho is the one doing this, yeah?”

Everyone nodded to that.

“And as much as we want to find a solution for this admittedly big problem, we do have to eat since—“ a grumbling was heard, echoing the room. “I’m hungry.”

A few of the students laughed. “Yeah, I haven’t eaten anything either!” Ferdinand chuckled, looking at his watch and realizing how much time has passed.

“Alright, I’m sure I can prepare something very quick for all of you.” Micaiah offered, getting up from the couch seat and heading straight to the kitchen. “As owners and hosts of the house, it’s only polite that we accommodate.”

Sylvain followed her, his grin getting bigger. “Will you use your god-powers or something to cook fast?”

Micaiah seemed to either be oblivious or ignorant to Sylvain’s growing enthusiasm. “Maybe.”

Felix had immediately gotten on the move to prevent his red-headed friend from getting any ideas. In the meantime, everyone agreed that they can take another break from what they just realized was a mission they took on.

Certainly, more ideas on their next plan of action can be thought of after they’re perfectly fed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Typhoon Ulysses has left an aftermath of devastation and flooded areas, many of which are homes submerged deep in floodwater. I dedicate this chapter to those who perished during the typhoon, and those who gave up their lives and their all saving those affected by it.
> 
> If you wish, you can help the typhoon victims through these donation commissions by local artists. The twitter thread for the list of artists who are part of this initiative is right here: https://twitter.com/kiwimansi/status/1326830091540684800
> 
> Feel free to give feedback, and lastly, may we hope and work for a better tomorrow.


End file.
